Google gets the vote in Indian elections
April 7th, 2009 by Jon Clements
Google may be wondering what it did to upset the digital apple cart.
Since last week’s stand-off between the residents of leafy Broughton and the Google Street View van made national news, esteemed commentators have weighed in to the debate over Google’s hegemony.
The Observer’s Henry Porter - very much an enemy of the all-powerful and all-seeing State - is equally no great fan of Google, describing the company as a World Wide Monopoly (WWM for short and not unreminiscent of WMDs) and an “amoral brat” which demands compliance with its terms or else feeling “the weight of its boot on your windpipe”.
Rod Liddle over at The Times has less visceral feelings towards Google, but still manages to characterise it as having the “suspiciously smiling facade” of a place that probably has “a Red Nose Day every afternoon”.
So how would they view Google’s part in the upcoming Indian elections? Hat tips to WATblog.com and Palin Ningthoujam for bringing PR Media Blog’s attention to the Google Election Centre, which aims to provide Indian voters with various services including the ability to:
Comments alongside TechCrunch’s report of the move appear broadly supportive of Google. So, if the company is helping to facilitate the smooth running of a democratic process, could it really be so bad?
Tags: Broughton, google, Google Indian Election Centre, Henry Porter, Indian elections, Rod Liddle, TechCrunch
